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Hey everyone,
Okay, me and a team are creating a 2D game using sprite/tiles. But that''s not the point of this message. What I would like to know, is how this system (still on paper at the moment) would affect gameplay.
Basically, it''s a smart NPC. Each NPC will have its own personality-like structure, schedule (i.e. must go to baker for bread), house, and they will react in different ways to different players.
For example, you just enter this new town, and this NPC is walking around minding his own business (perhaps going to the local strip joint) when the player walks by. If the player goes up and tries to talk to this NPC, this NPC has the Run-Away personality... in other words this is what might happen:
Player approaches NPC and tries to say Hi
NPC looks at player and says one of the following (selected randomly)
"Oh my god! They are after me!" ~ and runs off
"Thief! Help!" ~ and runs off
"Is that Pamela Anderson?" pointing ~ and runs off
basically the list goes on and on. There will be three types of personalities. The run-away personality you have just seen, a conversation personality where an NPC will actually stick around for a while and use some of his preprogrammed conversations to talk with the player. And lastly, the ADVANCED NPC... this NPC will actually have a real affect on the game, and therefore will have its own fully programmed personality (in other words, reactions to things that might happen like a fist fight, etc).
The player will be able to become friends, be neutral, or make enemies with the NPCs...
I realize this is a LOT of coding... but I just wanted to know if this level of interaction is worth it? Will players actually like the idea? Will it help add to the feel that the players not just controlling a sprite and making him walk through different coloured tiles?
I''m just looking for views on this type of system (everything is welcome, including why this wouldn''t work, I accept critism very well).
Thanx,
Marz
Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it